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New York visits Atlanta looking to continue its three-game road winning streak. The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 143-120 in their last matchup on Dec. 17. RJ Barrett led New York with 27 points, and Trae Young paced Atlanta scoring 42 points.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Hawks: 4-6, averaging 117.2 points, 46.2 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.5 points on 47.8 percent shooting.

Knicks: 6-4, averaging 104.9 points, 46.6 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 6.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.9 points on 45.2 percent shooting.

shakes0 wrote:Anyone know if Trae is playing? Asking for a friend.

atlantabbq99 wrote:RJ Barrett is just horrible, he already looks like a bust. I'm glad that the Hawks didn't buy any of that fake draft hype on Barrett and Culver and didn't take either guy because their games are just horrible in the NBA.

I'm good with Hunter. I prefered Sekou Doumbouya and Herro, but Hunter has been good, especially with his defense and shooting numbers for a rookie.

Radioblacktive1 wrote:Well dayum. Admittedly I don’t watch enough of the Knicks to agree or disagree but I will say I was suprised to see him out of the game down the stretch, and honestly I hadn’t seen or heard his name during the win streak the Knicks just had. Now that I think about it, I’ve seen a lot of Knicks fans wishing Ja Morant was their pick. I’m gonna give Culver more time. I wasn’t big on him at any point and I don’t see him being a breakout star any time soon but I expect him to be a solid 3rd or 4th option.

But yeah Hunter’s okay, just maybe not someone you package all those picks for.

No. 3: RJ Barrett, New York Knicks

Overall Grade: B

The production has been good to see. His approach has been equally impressive. Barrett has played the right way, carried himself like a pro and shown no fear attacking stronger opponents. But he has a long way to go in terms of his skill development and execution, and major adjustments will be needed for Barrett to meet No. 3 overall expectations.

The Good

Spoiler:

While the New York Knicks' coaches and management deserve criticism for limiting some of their young players' roles during a lost season, RJ Barrett is averaging 30.9 minutes per game. His 14.0 points per game ranks third among rookies, as his signature scoring instincts and improvisation have carried over from Duke.

Even without a reliable jump shot, Barrett continues to find ways to slash, side-step defenders and decelerate into runners and layups around the key. And for a 19-year-old, he's done an admirable job absorbing and bouncing off contact.

Making 41.3 percent of his no-dribble jumpers out of spot-ups, Barrett has managed to stay effective moving to an off-ball role. His 1.1 threes per game on 33.1 percent shooting is a fine starting point, given his age and history.

Averaging 2.5 assists, Barrett has flashed passing skills that hint at higher playmaking upside down the road. And his 5.2 rebounds also ranks third among rookies.

The Bad

Spoiler:

Given his role change from college to New York, plus the team's poor point guard play and spacing, Barrett's 39.4 percent field-goal mark was to be expected.

An inefficient finisher last year, he is making just 41.4 percent of his attempts at the basket as a rookie (7th percentile) and 28.9 percent of his runners (18th percentile).

Creating his own shot remains a troublesome weakness, with Barrett just 8-of-32 out of isolation and 21-of-82 on half-court pull-ups.

And while he has delivered some nice passes off ball screens, he has struggled to convert as a pick-and-roll scorer (.60 PPP, 14th percentile), mostly because of his struggles shooting off the dribble and finishing at the rim.